Magic Pumpkin Cake is vanilla cake on the bottom with pumpkin pie filling layered on top and finished with cinnamon whipped topping.
THIS CAKE MAKES ITS OWN LAYERS!
I don't know about you but I'm ready for fall. Well, maybe not the shorter days that come with fall. I am a daytime, warm, sunshine-loving kinda gal. But I'm definitely ready for fall flavors. I love those fall smells of apples, cinnamon and clove (and of course, pumpkin.)
WHY IS IT CALLED MAGIC PUMPKIN CAKE?
Well, because you actually pour the cake batter in first and the pumpkin pie filling in second - but after it bakes - the pumpkin layer ends up on bottom and the cake layer on top. So obviously, no magic happpening here, it's just because the pumpkin layer weighs more than the cake layer so it sinks to the bottom of the baking dish. But baking it this way allows everything to cook evenly without any layer being under-done or overcooked.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- vanilla cake mix (plus ingredients needed to make cake: eggs, oil, water)*
- pumpkin pie mix*
- evaporated milk
- eggs
- instant vanilla pudding
- pumpkin pie spice (or MAKE YOUR OWN)
- cold milk
- whipped topping (COOL WHIP)
*Pumpkin Pie Mix Note: We're using pumpkin pie mix NOT canned pumpkin puree. Pumpkin Pie Mix already has the pumpkin and seasoning and sugar added to it. All you have to do is add the eggs and evaporated milk to it. I add additional pumpkin spice seasoning because we love it. Canned pumpkin is just plain pumpkin - we don't want that here.
HOW TO MAKE MAGIC PUMPKIN CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish (don't bake yet!) Keep the mixing bowl handy!
Now, prepare the pumpkin pie mix. Combine contents of can of pumpkin pie mix with eggs, evaporated milk and one teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir well.
I just wipe out the same bowl I used for the cake batter and use that to mix the pumpkin pie filling. No need to make a bunch of dirty dishes!
Slowly pour the pumpkin pie mix right onto the cake batter.
Just drizzle it all around the entire cake.
Then put in the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. The cake will look a little darker than what we're used to. Don't worry - it will be fine. And fear not - there will be layers under there! Allow cake to cool completely - at least a couple of hours.
Once cake is cooled, begin making topping. Combine package of instant pudding with teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
Next, pour in cold milk. Whisk mixture until pudding begins to thicken.
Gently fold in whipped topping.
Spread topping onto cooled cake. You can serve it immediately but I would recommend popping it in the fridge for at least an hour. This will help the topping setup a bit more and make it easier to slice (but it's not absolutely necessary.)
I added some cinnamon chips on top just to make it look pretty.
Slice up and serve! Keep refrigerated if not eating immediately. In addition, refrigerate any leftovers.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Magic Pumpkin Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake mix: eggs, oil and water (use the amounts given on the back of the box)
- 30 ounce can Pumpkin Pie Filling Mix
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3.5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided use
- 1 cup cold milk
- 8 ounce tub whipped topping thawed (COOL WHIP)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9 x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions (using eggs, oil & water).
- Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish (don't bake yet!)
- Combine contents of can of pumpkin pie mix with eggs and evaporated milk and one teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir well.
- Slowly pour the pumpkin pie mix evenly right onto the cake batter (over the entire cake).
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes.
- The cake will look a little darker than what you're used to and that’s normal. (fear not - there will be layers under there!)
- Allow cake to cool completely - at least a couple of hours. Once cake is cooled, begin making topping.
- Combine package of instant pudding, pumpkin pie spice and cold milk. Whisk mixture until pudding begins to thicken.
- Then gently fold whipped topping into the pudding. Spread topping onto cooled cake.
- Cool cake in the refrigerator for about an hour before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Optional: Sprinkle some mini cinnamon chips on top of finished cake. Keep refrigerated if not eating immediately.
- You can serve it immediately but I would recommend popping it in the fridge for at least an hour.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: August 2015
Updated & republished: November 2021
RECIPE INSPIRATION: I wash...you dry
Lindi
Oh My Gosh, this cake sounds Awesomely Amazing , one problem for me down here in Australia we don't have pumpkin of any kind in a can. Could you tell me what pumpkin pie filling has in it and I can hopefully make it , Thankyou Brandie.....
Janice Ackeret
I was going to say could I use pumpkin purée, instead of pumpkin pie filling?
Susan
Would this work making it into the large muffins? It looks yummy!
Tina
I did a Google search on the fly in the grocery store last night for a simple cake mix Blondie reciepe. I decided to try your Maple Butter Blondie reciepe and I am happy to report that my gang of desert snobs loved it! This was so much quicker than making everything from scratch and easier! I did tweak the sauce just a touch by adding 1/4 tsp of maple extract and 1/2 tsp of Brazilian Vanilla extract just to cover the evaporated milks flavor a bit. Thanks! It was great!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
You made my day Tina!! Love hearing that - THANK YOU!! 🙂